If you’re thinking that this trend of over-the-top onboard entertainment is the new direction of the cruise industry: think again. One cruise line that has recently surfaced is traveling back in time by placing emphasis back on the ports of call. Voyages to Antiquity will soon be sailing the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Red Sea with a focus on the culture and history of each destination. Founded by Gerry Herrod, (who also introduced Ocean Cruise Line and Orient Lines), Voyages to Antiquity will offer nine unique itineraries aboard its boutique vessel, the Aegean Odyssey – which is slated to debut in May 2010.

Read the rest of this post »

Pulling off a hitch-less family getaway can be a daunting task for any parent – let alone when that parent heads up a multi-million dollar global enterprise as well as a household. Just ask Forbes and Fortune cover-girl Katrina Garnett, mother of three and successful Silicon Valley CEO who’s been finagling family trips to sync with school vacations for 15 years (granted, she probably had the help of an assistant or two). The well-traveled, Aussie-born virtuoso is now sharing her trip planning savvy with the rest of the world with the coming launch of My Little Swans – a members-only, online social network for sophisticated family travel. Read the rest of this post »

France-based Sofitel hotels are generally known for their, naturally, French flair, but the luxurious brand’s Philadelphia property is adding a dash of English charm with its new London taxi service. For hire by hotel guests only, the iconic London taxi, imported directly from England, offers free rides around town and to/from the Philadelphia International Airport (a 20-minute drive) Mondays through Fridays between 7 and 9 A.M (reservations recommended). Booking the service any other time of day will cost you, depending on the duration of your ride, upwards of $25 for lifts within the city center and $45 to the airport. Not cheap for most chaps, but the five-seat, mini-bar laden cab makes for a bloody fun alternative to typical transportation, wouldn’t you say?

The late Raymond Walter “Johnny” Apple, Jr. assumed many roles over his 40-plus-year career at The New York Times: bureau chief in Albany, Lagos, Nairobi, Saigon, Moscow, London, and Washington D.C.; correspondent during 10 presidential races; Vietnam War reporter — and truly passionate eater. This last role gets top billing in a new collection of Apple’s artciles that is fiesty, painstakingly researched, and often simply mouthwatering. The more than 50 essays in Far Flung and Well Fed ($27; St. Martin’s Press) first appeared in Saveur, the Times, and Town & Country. Apple began compiling the book before his death in 2006; his stepdaughter Catherine Collins stepped in to finish it with the editors. Organized geographically, the book follows Apple’s travels throught the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The collection describes characters such as Oregon morel hunter Jack Czarneck; tidy history lessons, like how the popularity of San Marzano tomatoes led to the rise of the Italian canning industry in the 1800s; and regional cuisines, celebrating, for example, Philadelphia’s water ices, cheesesteaks, hoagies, scrapple, and soft pretzels.

Apple, well-versed in virtually all culinary styles and subjects, kept a small bag packed with Tabasco sauce and a tiny pepper mill in case of a sudden call abroad. As his friend Calvin Trillin once wrote: “Apple is someone who seems equally famished whether he’s sitting down to dinner at a three-star French restaurant or at a crab shack; he is what A.J. Liebling would have called, admiringly, a feeder.”

From the Fall 2009 issue of Sherman’s Travel magazine.

Choosing from the seemingly endless array of travel applications for iPhones and other mobile devices can be tough. Our picks pair the useful and the user-friendly.

iMedjet This virtual first-aid kit offers remedies for jet lag and nausea, and explains how to set broken bones.

Urban Spoon, Yelp, Zagat Locate eateries and read reviews and menus.

Truphone, Skype Make long-distance calls over the Web and save some serious money. Read the rest of this post »

Few places in the world compare to Bora Bora – a quintessential tropical isle in French Polynesia showcasing white-sand beaches, flower-scented breezes, and idyllic coves. Since getting to paradise can be a lengthy affair (it’s eight hours by plane from Los Angeles to Tahiti, plus another hour to connect), why not treat yourself to an once-in-a-lifetime experience once you land? The Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort & Spa just unveiled brand-new over-the-water presidential villas that necessitate a splurge, if you’ve got the pocket change to spare. Read the rest of this post »

Gadget junkies on-the-go, rejoice. The world’s first lineup of wire-free charging solutions has arrived, and it’s set to change the way your technology travels. Earlier this month, the Powermat (pictured) debuted as one of the first commercially produced wireless charging systems available on the mass market, with a simple “drop and charge” design enabling up to three different gadgets to be charged simultaneously (and cord-free) on a thin magnetic pad outfitted with a universal receiver called a Powercube. Read the rest of this post »

Gilt Groupe, a members-only site hocking the latest designer fashions at up to 70% off retail prices, is bringing its bargains to the world of luxury travel. Known for daily “flash-sales” on limited quantities of inventory ranging from coveted Marc Jacobs bags to gorgeous Oscar de la Renta gowns, Gilt is applying its successful fashion model to new sister site, Jetsetter. Launched September 30 in Beta form, Jetsetter features a swank layout of drool-worthy deals on high-end hotels, cruises, and tours at values not available to the mass market (typically 30-40% lower than standard rates). Read the rest of this post »

Despite China’s 21st century emergence as a major economic power, a lot of the country still remains hidden behind closed doors . . . but not for long. On September 23, Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific launched brand new China Experience tours designed by local experts to provide unparalleled VIP access to normally off-limits attractions. Starting at $3,000 a pop, these all-inclusive, ultra-exclusive expeditions offer behind-the-scenes peaks of protected heritage sites scattered throughout Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai – like The Forbidden City’s Imperial Palace tea room, Xian’s national treasure vault, and Pit #5 of the famous Terracotta Warrior Museum (normally only open to archeologists). In addition to dining with locals in a traditional courtyard (“hutong”) and taking private tai-chi lessons, visitors can explore the better-known Great Wall and Tiananmen Square (pictured). Read the rest of this post »

Until recently, most visitors to Jordan barreled through the country on day trips to historic Petra from Jerusalem. But a spate of new luxury resorts and sensory experiences—the likes of which Israel has yet to produce—now makes overnighting here a must.

The Evason Ma’In Hot Springs & Six Senses Spa (from $170/night) opened last February at the base of hot springs that, legend has it, King Herod once frequented. An hour’s drive southwest of Amman, the resort provides perks such as an alfresco movie theater, a clifftop restaurant overlooking the Dead Sea, and spa treatments using Dead Sea salt, local dates, and honey. Read the rest of this post »